The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-01-10

A Road Planned to Compete with
the Canadian Pacific.

A Montreal dispatch to the New York
Times says: The Grand Trunk Railway
Company claims to have got ahead Of the
Canadian Pacific in securing charters for its
proposed extension TO Duluth. A prominent
railway man informed the Times's cores
pondent today that New York capitalists are
about to construct an independent railway
line from Duluth TO Sault Ste. Marie II nee
essary, but arrangements are about complet-
ed with the Northern Pacific to utilize their
line from Duluth to Ashland, ON Lake Supe-
rior. If this can be arranged, which is very
probable, no money will be spared in push
ing forward this work, so as to have 1t COM
pleted early In the season and ahead Of the
Canadian Pacific Railway They hold a
charter from the American government for
bridge at the Sault, and certain parties In
the Interest Of the Grand Trunk hold q
charter from the Canadian Parliament
These are the only charters granted so far
for the construction Of an independent
bridge. The Grand Trunk has projected a
line from point on the Midland Railway in
the neighborhood Of Orilia or Lakefeld,
crossing French River at about C0urtois Is
land and skirting the shores Of Georgian
Bay, distance Of about $50 miles, The
American portion Of the line will be about
the same length. The projected line Is that
OF the Ontario and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad
for which an independent charter was grant
ed by the Ontario Legislature some years
ago. The route has been surveyed and the
line located over a great portion Of the dis
lance. The American company viii have
branch TO Mackinac, and will reach the
Michigan Railroad system by means Of fer
ry across the Straits,
II is claimed that when the extension via
the Sault Is constructed, Duluth will be
brought $50 or 300 miles nearer 10 Montreal
than to New York via the Chicago route.
Railway men here are keenly Interested in
this rival scheme, by which u IS hoped TO di-
vert great portion Of the Western grain,
cattle and lumber trade 10 Montreal, besides
opening up the the district around Georgian
Bay for settlement. Ii was stated as an in
stance OF the great increase in the value Of
property In Duluth, that three water lots
which were bought for dockage by the Great
western Railroad five years ago for $4,000
were sold few days ago for $4,000.
The object of the Grand Trunk in secur-
ing connection with Duluth Is not only to
obtain an interchange Of traffic with the
Northern Pacific, which Is already arranged
for, and to secure a share Of the business Of
the Northwest, but eventually 10 obtain an
extension to Winnipeg and the Canadian
Northwest. The Federal government Is By
its contract with the Canadian Pacific Rail-
way, bound to refuse charter to any railway
In Manitoba that would interfere with the
monopoly granted 10 the Canadian Pacific
The have already vetoed acts Of the Manit0-
ba Legislature granting charters 10 lines run
ming TO the frontier. but the Grand Trunk in
tend to get around this by getting line con-
strueted from Duluth to the. frontier, from
which point they can run line under char
ter of the Ontario Legislature TO Rat Portage
near the boundary Of Manitoba. The Man
itoba Legislature would be acting within its
rights in chaItering a railway from Winni-
peg to the boundary line between the prov
lnees. There Is nothing In the Canadian
Pacific contract to prevent rival road in
Ontario from running southeast TO the Amer
lean frontier and the Frederal government
will be pOwerless to interfere.